Side Steps
by Apollo Owens
Summary: The world has been destroyed. Two people who are thrown into a life they've never known are searching for someone who they cant remember. RikuXSora Enjoy!
1. Riku

**Yo people! This was a request from one of my fans, I do take requests as long as I think I can write them. So yeah, if you want me to write something just ask and I'll try! Okay on with the story!**

**Chapter One: Riku**

Riku was lost in what seemed to be a very large and dark city. The city was empty, and seemed to be void of any kind of plant life, much like a waste land. He was alone, as far as he knew. He had called out many times but no one has answered. He got some clothes from an empty store, he slept in a mattress store, and he ate what he could find.

Riku had woken up inside a tube, literally. He was surrounded by some liquid that held him there. By chance one of the support beams in the room had broken and smashed into the glass of his tube, setting him free.

Riku couldn't remember anything about him, not one thing that could tell him anything about where he was and who he was, except his name. It had been carved into the metal under his tube. The only thing he could tell about himself was that he was looking for someone. He didn't know who it was, just that the person was important to him. It was like his mind was a computer and someone had deleted stuff.

He turned a corner in the city and came to what used to be a park. The grass and the trees had long since dried up and withered away. There was a fountain in the middle of the park, one that had, somehow, continued to work. He sat beside the fountain and stared into the murky water, examining his reflection. He could barely see himself in the dirty water. He looked down at the tattered clothing, how he looked like a hobo.

Riku didn't realize the presence behind him until the person tapped him on the shoulder and spoke.

"Who are you and what are you doing here?" A young boys voice sounded out.

Riku, startled, jumped and almost fell into the fountain. A tanned hand shot out and caught him, setting him upright before he could hit the water.

"Thank you," Riku said as he straightened himself and turned around. He was greeted with shocking sunny blond hair and sky blue eyes. A wave of nostalgia hit him as he stared into them. He clutched his head as pain shot through his spinal cord and up into his brain.

"I'll ask you again. Who are you and what are you doing here?" The blond boy scowled at him.

"I… don't know… I'm looking for someone… but I cant remember who or why…" Riku winced.

"Is that so? Do you at least know your name?" The boy took a defensive stance.

"Riku, its Riku." The blond boy nodded his head, relaxed, and stretched out a hand.

"I'm Roxas. Welcome to Old New York." He waved his other hand around him and to the buildings surrounding the park. The two shook hands.

"What happened here?" Roxas smirked.

"In 2092 there was a nuclear war with the other countries. The bombs destroyed major cities and towns. The US government, along with the other governments of the world, was destroyed along with everything else. So in other words, this is what the world looks like. Millions were killed in the war so must people who survived live where they can. You're a real lucky man, Riku," Roxas clapped him on the shoulder.

"How so?"

"Your lucky it was me who found you and not the heartless."

"Who are they?" Roxas laughed.

"Have you been sleeping for the past 400 years?"

"I don't know, probably. I only woke up 2 days ago in a strange lab. I was in this tube thing made out of glass. It had my name, or I assume my name, carved on the outside. I tried to wake up the others but they wouldn't, so I think they were… dead…" Riku looked down at his feet.

"That sucks man… But anyways, we cant stay here for very much longer. I'm surprised you haven't run across anyone yet. Lets go!" Roxas took off in a random direction and yelled, "C'mon! Follow me!" Riku ran after him.


	2. Sora

**Chapter 2: Sora**

There was a loud wailing noise as a capsule was being pounded on, as someone was trying to break it open. It was an alarm that surprisingly still worked, even though it was out of date. The person trying to break open the capsule panted with the effort.

"Be careful with what's in there! We wouldn't want to damage him!" Cid yelled at Leon.

"Shut up! If your so concerned you do it!" He glared at the window that was only a few inches above him, the window showing the 'sleeping' face of a young boy. The capsules themselves were standing up, tilted as if leaning against something. "Besides, whoever is in there is sure to be dead already. The others were like that, why not this one too?" Leon glared at the back of Cids head as the old man worked on turning the alarms off.

"Have some faith squall! This one could be alive, have some hope!" Yuffie scolded, coming into the room after going through some of the offices. Leon grumbled about how his name was Leon and continued his work.

Leon and his group of 5 were currently in Old Austin trying to find anyone alive in the old containment capsule medical rooms. They have checked as many as they could and haven't gotten to many that were still alive. They checked as many as they could since the Restoration committee was formed.

400 years ago the worlds countries fought against each other, destroying their governments and countries in the process. The world was plunged into Anarchy and ruin. Gangs ran rampant and controlled entire cities. Many people were killed, not only during the war but after too, while only a fraction survived. The world was no longer called Earth but Diablo. Everyone's lives on Diablo was hard, everyone had to pitch in. No one was aloud to be lazy, everyone had to do there part. It was against the law on Diablo.

Leon gave the capsule another good whacks before taking a break. Cloud came and sat by him, patting him on the leg.

"Its harder than it looks." Leon pouted.

"Yeah, well what can you do?" Cloud laughed.

"Nothin'. Did you find the file?" Cloud nodded and produced a sheet of paper, which Leon took.

**FILE-1-PROFILE**

**Subject Name: Sora**

**Height: 5'8**

**Weight: 152 lbs**

**Age: 16**

**Gender: Male**

**Subject Number: 4789**

**Bio: He is one of our hospitals more valuable customers son. One that donates gratuitous amounts of money to our research. The customers son is suffering from sever internal bleeding and broken bones. He was in an auto mobile accident, where he was practically smashed in between two cars. He will hopefully be cured and healed in the containment capsule. We don't have the technology to help him right now so we are hoping for him to be fine or close so we can treat him by the time he gets out.**

**Estimated Time Of Release: 5 years**

**Date Entered: January 2, 2091**

Both team mates whistled as they noted how long the teen had been in the capsule.

"He's been in there a long time," Cloud muttered.

"Yeah."

"Do you think he's still alive?"

"Don't know. But its highly unlikely."

"The alarm went off didn't it, even though its old?" Cloud asked. Leon ignored him.

"Aeris?" He called as he stood up.

"Yes, Leon?" Aeris poked her head into the room.

"Could you bring us some water? I'm pretty thirsty." She nodded and ran off. Leon leaned back against the capsule. Something made a clicking noise and there was this hissing noise. Soon the alarm started to wail again and the lights began to flicker.

"Leon! What did you do?!" Cloud yelled.

"I didn't do anything!" He yelled back. Both of them backed away from the capsule as it began to glow a light blue. Cid, Yuffie, and Aeris all ran in, all to yell at Leon for what he might have done.

"What if you set off the security system again?!" Yelled Cid.

"Shut up! It wasn't me!"

"The door to the capsule opened slowly, while cold fowl smelling fog filtered out through the opening. All of the team crowded around the opening to peer inside. There lay the boy described in the file, the one whose face you could see through the circular window on the door. He had longer, and spikier, brown hair then they thought and the tanned skin wasn't only on his face. He wore a long white robe. The charts and diagrams on the inside of the door said the boy was sleeping, and very much still alive. They all stared at Leon, except Aeirs, in a 'I-told-you-so' manner. He scowled, and you could clearly tell he was angry.

"We found one!" Aeris breathed.


	3. Riku 2

**Chapter 3: Riku**

I found myself underground and in the dark. That's where Roxas had led me. Was I wrong to follow him? I asked myself. Suddenly I heard Roxas call out to me.

"Riku! Follow my voice! We're almost there!"

"Where are you taking me?!" I called back.

"You'll see!" He laughed. I followed the sound for a while before I saw a light at the end of the corridor. Roxas was waiting for me at the end, with a huge smile on his face. "Welcome to the lair! This is the home to Organization XIII! We're trying to battle the heartless out of Old New York so that it can become our territory!" He walked further into the room.

There was no carpet here, or furniture. The walls were painted a bright white, along with the floor.

"This is the waiting room. There's nothing much to it cause no one ever really stays here long. The living room is through the next door." We entered and I was greeted by the site of black leather and silver.

"Who is this punk?" Someone asked. I looked up to see emerald green, with upside down tear drop tattoos under his eyes, and fiery red hair. "Roxas… who is this?" The man turned to face Roxas, who was sitting on a white sofa, his feet on a white coffee table.

"That's Riku. I think it would be a good idea to let him join." Roxas said. Axel turned back to me and bent forward to look me in the eye.

"That doesn't explain who he is."

"I don't know who he is either. Don't give me that look. He doesn't remember who he is." Roxas shook his head.

"How do you know he wasn't lying to you?"

"His eyes. You can se it in his eyes." Axel stared at me a moment more before nodding and pulling me into the room and sitting me next to Roxas. "So Axel, what does the boss want us to do today?" Axel contemplated this for a moment before shrugging.

"The boss hasn't said anything to me today." The raid haired man snapped his fingers and turned to me with an outstretched hand. "Sorry for being rude! I'm Axel! Got it memorized?" We shook hands.

"Hey Riku! Do you want to join? I mean it would be best if you did, but you don't have to if you don't want to." I sat forward. I raised my hands and shook my head.

"Its fine, its fine! I want to join, I have nothing else to do, do I?" I laughed and Axel wrapped an arm around my shoulders.

"I like him! Let's take him to the boss's office!"

"Yeah!" Both of them stood up and grabbed my arms. They both dragged me off through a set of doors. We passed by a bunch of people cloaked in black leather coats. I realized that Roxas had one on as well. The knocked into someone and the person's hood flew off. It was a blond man. He turned around and spotted the two dragging me off. He had a scared look and began to run after us.

"Wait! Axel! Roxas!" But he was soon left in the dust. I called a sorry to him. The two dragged me for a long time before they stopped in front of a pair of large double doors. This is where they seemed to hesitate.

"Hey Axel, have you seen Siax at all today?" Axel shook his head.

"You know… Maybe their having-"Roxas cut himself off nervously.

"One of 'those' days?" Axel nodded, I stared on in confusion. Just then the doors swung open and a much disheveled blue haired man, with an X scar in between his eyes, walked out, zipping up his black cloak. He stared at me in disinterest.

"If he's one of the Heartless why didn't you just kill him?" he asked.

"He's not! He's a potential new member!" Axel grinned. The man just scowled.

"He doesn't look like much." The two just shrugged. "You can do as you please." He pulled up his hood and walked away.

"Riku, Riku!" Roxas beckoned. I gulped and followed them into the dark room.


	4. Sora 2

**Chapter 4: Sora**

Leon and Cloud looked over 'Sora' as the other 3 worked. They had already contacted the others to tell them the great news. They seemed thrilled enough. The boy though hadn't woken up or stirred even once since the capsule had opened, which was three hours earlier. Leon was getting tired of sitting there and doing nothing so he was pretty happy, even though he should have anyways though he didn't show it, when the boy open his sky blue eyes.

"Leon! He's waking up! What should we do?!" Cloud whispered. Leon leaned over the boy, staring into his dazed eyes with open curiosity.

"Hey, kid! Can you hear me? Are you alright?" His eyes took a moment to adjust and focus on Leons face, meaning he wasn't blind, but he didn't say anything right away. "C'mon, talk to me. Say something so I know nothings really wrong! Do you remember your name?"

"Leon…" Cloud glared. Leon glared back.

"Sssss…" the boy's quiet crackly voice spoke up.

"C'mon kid, say something." Leon and Cloud both pleaded.

"My name is… Sora…" He finally said after a couple of minutes of him trying t use his vocal cords.

"Do you remember anything else?" Leon prodded. The boy griped his head.

"I remember… an accident… some doctors above me… and a beach… someone important disappeared… I tried to follow but I got hurt…" The boy, Sora, gasped and leaned forward, gripping at his head as pain erupted through. A hand was placed on his shoulder.

"That's good Sora! That's enough!" Cloud pated him on the head before wrapping him in a thick blanket and picking him up in his arms. "For now all you need to do is get your strength up!" Cloud grinned at Sora. Sora's eyes were wide but then a soft smile played at his lips.

"Alright…" He closed his eyes as Cloud carried him out of the building and into the back of one of the trucks. It occurred to Leon that they should have done that in the first place. They all gathered up the tools and stored them in the trucks; there were only two so Leon had to sit in the bed/back because it was sager. Leon decided to sit with Sora. Leon needed to protect him just in case someone ambushed them on their way back to the base. Nothing really happened so Leon relaxed and sat back.

"Tell me, what's your name?" Sora asked his voice still crackly from disuse. Leon looked up from his brooding.

"It's Leon."

"That's a strong name," Sora grinned.

"What makes you think that?"

"I don't know." Sora paused. "How long have I been in the capsule? When I last saw this place the buildings were al new and the streets were clean. Now everything seemed destroyed." Sora frowned.

"You've been asleep for a while. From what it appears you've been healing from some serious injuries. You've grown some too, if that makes you feel better."

"It doesn't, sorry. It bugs me that I can't remember a lot. Like whom I am for the most part. And who I'm looking for." He chuckled.

"You'll remember soon enough. I'm sure of it. Besides you just woke up. Give it a few days, alright?" Leon tilted his head to the side.

"Sure."

"Get some sleep. When you wake up you should do some exercises to get your strength back up."

"I've been asleep for who knows how long and you want me to go back to la-la-land?" Sora pouted.

"Either that or I hang you out the back of the truck and have you run until we get back to the base." Leon stared at Sora right in the eyes as he said this. Sora glared and turned on his side, away from Leon. Leon smiled at the back of Sora's head. "You act just like Cloud," he whispered.


End file.
